1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an IP phone, in particular, the present invention relates to a method for controlling an IP phone.
2. Description of Prior Art
Telephones have been an important and general means of communication in everyday life.
In recent years, as the Internet becomes popular, it has great impact on communication methods. Compare to landline telecom infrastructures, the Internet has the advantages of wider communication coverage. Voice calls between places in distance which previously requires multiple transfers via landlines now can be connected by the Internet promptly and directly.
As mentioned above, voice call application programs such as Skype are developed taking advantages of the Internet. Skype is a well-known application program used on a computer. A subscriber establishes voice call connection to a subscriber on the other end with computer having headphones and microphone via the Internet. An IP (Internet Protocol) phone is used for establishing voice calls precisely and quickly. In addition, subscribers are charged according to general internet service rate instead of expensive long distance phone rate.
Yet, the above application program has a defect. Subscribers have to power on the computer and execute the application program for establishing voice calls via the Internet. If receiving subscriber does not power on the computer or execute the application program, the status of the receiving subscriber is displayed as off line in the application program of the dialing subscriber and the voice call connection cannot be established. Thus, the dialing subscriber has to dial out to the receiving subscriber via a landline phone in order to request the receiving subscriber to power on the computer and execute the application program for establishing a free Internet voice call. Accordingly, the dialing subscriber saves cost generated from using landline telephone but the subscriber may find the steps inconvenient and complicated.
In view of this, an innovative telecom device, i.e. an IP phone, is developed in the market. An IP Phone is a device independent of a computer and can operate without a computer, where the Internet replaces the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for establishing a voice call with a remote IP Phone. Thus, subscribers do not need to change the dialing out process and are allowed to save telephone cost effectively.
Generally speaking, an IP Phone is more convenient to operate than a computer. Yet, there are subscribers who prefer to dial out IP voice calls with computers than using an independent IP phone. Therefore, it is desirable to integrate the IP Phone function into a computer.
For example, the US published patent application US20080137643 disclosed an Accessing Call Control Functions from An Associated Device. According to the US patent application, the connection between a computer and an IP Phone is established, and functions executed on the IP phone are provided to the computer. Next, the computer sends a first message to the IP Phone for controlling the IP Phone function to generate a voice call to a remote subscriber. Next, the IP Phone converts the first message to a second message sent to the remote subscriber for reminding the remote subscriber of the incoming call.
Though, the method disclosed in the US patent application makes it more convenient to make a voice call via an IP phone by controlling the IP phone with a computer. The computer is only configured to perform the function defined in the IP Phone. The powerful computing power of the computer is not optimized, nor is the connection between the computer and the IP Phone fully utilized. In view of this, it is desirable in the market to provide an innovative control method for a computer in order to make an IP phone more convenient to use and further effectively expand the functions of an IP Phone.